Automatic carton setting-up machine



Oct. 13, 1936. M. BURGER AUTOMATIC CARTON -SETTINGUP MACHII IE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed March 5, 1932 -4- v v N INVENTOR.

v fiarfiizfiw gel W, +mwam Oct. 13, 1936. M. BURGEQ 2,057,082

. AUTOMATIC CARTON SETTING-UP MACHINE Original Filed Mardh 3, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

Marlin Burger; 29 M, J1)

Oct. 13, 1936. BURGER 2,057,082

AUTOMATIC CARTON SETTING-UP MACHINE Original Filed March 3, 1932 4 Sheets-*Shet 3 V v 1I'VVE1 VTOR. Marin Barge 13 g Wang) wwm Oct. 13, 1936. x ER 2,057,082

AUTOMATIC CARTON SETTING-UP MACHINE Original Filed March 3, 1932 4 Sh'eetsShegt 4 INVENTOR. Ma/"ZZ'Z/ Bzugr;

Patented Oct. 13, 1936 PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC CARTON SETTING-UP MACHINE Martin Burger, Morris, 111., assignor to Self-Locking Carton Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application March a, 1932, Serial No. 596,457

Renewed August 22, 1936 25 Claims.

The present invention relates to a device for erecting or setting up foldable cartons of the type having cell-forming partitions extending transversely of the carton when in erect position.

In my copending application, Serial No. 545,- 788, filed June 20, 1931, of which the present application constitutes a continuation in part, is described a machine for automatically setting up cartons, particularly cartons of the type described in Troyk Patent No. 1,766,155.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a device for erecting collapsible egg cartons of the type described in Benoit Patent No. 1,768,024.

An additional object is the provision of a machine for continuously or automatically setting up cartons of the type described.

These and other objects will be seen in the following description and drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top view of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine shown in Fig.

' Fig. 4 shows a collapsed cartonof the type adapted to be set up by'my machine; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of the setting up mechanism in various positions of operation on a carton.

The egg carton A, as shown in the drawings, has a continuous wall structure formed from a single blank of paper having a folded central portion which forms a longitudinal partition B. A plurality of aligned openings C extend through the outer wall sections and the longitudinal partition. Transverse cell-forming partitions D are extended half their length through the openings in the longitudinal partition. When the carton is in the collapsed position shown in Fig. 4, these transverse partitions are pivoted about their central portion and lie in a position parallel to the walls of the carton.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the frame structure of the machine has a table portion l 0 thereon. A hopper I l, which is designed to receive a stack of folded or collapsed cartons of the type described, is mounted on one end of the table. The front side of the hopper has an opening I2 in its lower,

portion which allows the escape therefrom of the lowermost carton of the stack.

Extending longitudinally of the platform I 0 and on the under side thereof are two rods l3 upon the rear portion of which is slidably mounted a dog it. This dog has an upward extension left by the rear dog I1, and upon forward mowhich travels in a central longitudinal opening in the table l0 and operates to engage the rear portion of the lowermost carton in the hopper ll, causing the carton to move forward through the opening I2.

The dog ll projects the front end of the carton a suflicient distance from the hopper to be engaged by a driven friction roller l5 which is mounted on the platform in the path of travel of the carton, thereby causing the carton to move along the table and completely out of the hopper.

The'rods l3 also carry a slidably mounted and longitudinally extending bar l6 which has a dog II on its rear end and a similar dog IS on its front end. These dogs are loosely pivoted and preferably counterweighted so that their forward ends or noses tend constantly to rise above the top of the table, but will yield in the manner of a trailing pawl during the back stroke of the bar l6. During its forward stroke the rear dog I! engages the rear of the carton and pushes it forward to substantially the position shown by the carton A in Fig. 2. When this position is reached the bar l6 retracts its movement and another carton is picked up by the rear dog I1 on its next forward movement.

Movement of the bar l6 to its backward position causes the front dog It! to engage the rear of the carton from the position in which it was 30 tion of the bar, the front dog pushes the carton to a position beneath the setting-up plunger to be described hereinafter.

Cyclic operation of the dogs I4, I! and I8 and rotation of the friction roller l5 thereby continuously supplies the setting-up mechanism with cartons. v

As the folded carton emerges from the friction roller I5 it encounters the point of a transverse cover-opening rod l9 which enters between the two cover portions of the carton and, during the travel of the carton along the table, rotates the upper cover portion through 180 and into horizontal position against the table. It will be seen from Figs. 1, 2 and 3 that this rod extends along 45 the path of travel of the carton and transversely thereof, being anchored adjacent the forward end of the table. Rotation of the cover into open position causes the longitudinal partition of the carton to assume the vertical position shown by '50 the carton A in Fig. 2. The cover-opening rod is bowed upwardly in its central portion to permit passage thereunder of the vertical longitudinal partition. This bowed portion also materially assists in rotating the cover into open position since its leverage on the cover is greater than if the rod was fiat.

During rotation of the upper cover into open position the lower cover portion is maintained flat against the table by the guide 20 under which it passes, as shown in Fig. 1. The opposite side of the table is provided with a guide 2| which limits the transverse movement of the rotated cover portion.

In addition to the dogs l1 and I6, the bar l6 carriesa central carton support 22 which forms a traveling carrier for the carton. Upon forward motion of the bar IS, the carton A is carried, by support 22 and dog I8, from the position shown in Fig. 2 forwardly into the setting-up mechanism.

The setting-up mechanism includes two spaced platforms 24 and 25 which receive the outer or cover-forming portions of the carton walls. Cooperating .with these platforms are two pairs of grippers 26 and 21, respectively, which rotate about shafts 11 and 80 to contact the cover-forming portions of the carton and to firmly hold the same against the platforms. The platforms and grippers are slidably mounted on horizontal bars 28 and 29, and are movable as units toward and from the center of the machine.

Positioned above the space between the platforms 24 and 25 is a longitudinally extending plunger 30. This plunger is similar in structure to the device described in my copending application Serial No. 576,265, filed November 20, 1931, and is carried by and is slidably arranged upon two vertical posts 3|. The plunger consists of a head of a size corresponding to the size of the interior of the erected carton, and has a series of slots arranged to accommodate the longitudinal partition B and the transverse cellforming partitions D.

When the carton is pushed onto the platforms 24 and 25 the plunger is above and spaced from the carton. The platforms are provided with stops 33 which limit the forward travel of the carton and stops 34 which center the carton beneath the plunger. As the carton enters the setting-up mechanism the platforms 24 and 25 approach the center of the machine until the outer edges of the carton walls abut the stops 34. At this position the grippers 26 and. 21 engage the cover along the inner edges of the platforms 24 and 25. This line of engagement of the carton is preferably scored and forms the line of division between the side walls of the carton and the cover portions. The platforms and grippers are then moved away from each other to a position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, causing the lower portion of the upwardly extending longitudinal partition 13 to be separated from a point G above which the two layers of the partition are held together by the cross partitions. Separation of the lower portions of the layers, of the longitudinal partition B causes the transverse cell-forming partitions to swing into a position substantially at right angles to the longitudinal partition and in a position to be received by the transverse slots of the plunger 30. It will be seen that the plunger acts to perfect the alignment of the transverse partitions with the slots in the carton wall structure.

When the grippers 26 and 21 have engaged the 7 outwardly extending cover portions so as to fix ment to the position shown in Fig. 6. With this continued downward movement of the plunger the platforms and grippers again approach the center-of the carton, causing the carton walls to be rotated with respect to the cross partitions. A score F is provided in the lower portion of the carton walls and forms the apex of a"V-. shaped channel on each side of the longitudinal partition. As the walls rotate, the bottom of the transverse partitions pass through the slots C in each of the carton walls. The downwardmovement of the plunger is continued until the slots C pass over hooks E on the transverse partitions D of the carton. The grippers are then released from engagement with the top-forming portions 'of the carton, and the resilience of the carton walls causes the upper end of slots C to snap into engagement with hooks E, thereby completing the setting-up operation. The plunger then moves upwardly into its original position, the platforms and grippers return to their original position, and the set-up carton falls through the space between the platforms to be received by a suitable continuous belt conveyor 35.

It will be understood that cyclic operation of this mechanism, which may be effectedin any suitable manner, results in the rapid and automatic erection of cartons.

In the modification shown in the drawings rotation is imparted to the shaft 46 by any suitable means such as the motor. and reducing gears (not shown). A cam arrangement 4| is mounted on the shaft and acts through pin 42 to raise and lower the lever 43 which has an intermediate portion pivoted about the fixed shaft 44. Downward movement of the pin 42 causes the arm 45 ,of the lever to be raised, whereby the bell crank 46 is rotated about the fixed shaft 41 in a counterclockwise direction. The upper arm of the bell crank 46 has a slot 48 which engages a corresponding pin on the dog I 4. counterclockwise motion of the ball crank 46 causes the dog l4 to move backwardly, and clockwise rotation of the bell crank, caused by the downward movement of arm 45, causes the dog l4 to move forwardly.

The gear 50 fixed to shaft 46 drives the shaft 52 by means of gear 5|. Also mounted on the shaft 52 is a. disc 53 provided with a pin 54 adjacent its outer portion. The pin 54 slidably engages a slot in the sleeve 55 of lever 56. The bar I6 is connected through lever 51 with lever 56, and rotation of the disc 53 causes the bar l6, carrying dogs l1 and I8 and carton support 22, to be moved in a forward direction and then in a backward direction.

A sprocket wheel 58 is flxedto shaft 40 and r tates the pressure roller l by means of a chain 59, sprocket wheel 60 and shaft 6|.

A beveled gear 62 on the shaft 52 imparts rotation to the longitudinal shaft 64 by means of a second beveled gear 63..

To the outer end of the shaft 64 is fixed a sprocket wheel 65 which by means of chain 66 drives sprocket wheel 61. The sprocket wheel 61 rotates a shaft 68 which extends parallel to the shaft 64. Shafts 64 and 68 are provided with cams 69 and 10, respectively, which raise and lower the upwardly extending bars 1| and 12. The bar 12 is connected to a head 13 which is provided on its inner face with a horizontal slot 14 into which the pin 15 isvengaged. When the bar 12 and head 13 are lowered by the rotation of the sprocket wheel, the lever 16, which engages the pin 15, is depressed. The. lever 16 and the grippers 21 are fixed to a shaft 11 so that depression of the lever causes the grippers to b ape-me:

depressed into contact with a carton on the platform 25. The upwardly extending bar H is r "ed and lowered by rotation of the cam device 9 and depresses and raises the grippers 26 in a manner corresponding to the movement of grippers 21. The upwardly extending bar II is provided with a head 18 having a horizontal slot registering with a pin on the lever 19, thereby providing means for rotating shaft 98 to which the grippers 26 are fixed.

The platform 25 and grippers 21 are slidably arrangedon the horizontal bars 29 and are held by frame structure 8|.

Afiixed to shaft 54 is a cam 82 which operates the lower arm of a bell crank 83, pivoted about the shaft 84.. The upper arm of the bell crank is secured to the frame structure of the platform 24 at 99. Clockwise rotation of the bell crank causes the platform to be moved away from the center of the carton, and thecounterclockwise rotation of the bell crank causes the platform and grippers to move toward the center of the carton.

A pivoted rod 85 extends from the frame structure of the platform 24 to the lower arm of a' bell crank 86 which rotates about shaft 81. The upper arm of the bell crank has an inwardly extending pin which engages a slot in the frame structure of the platform 25. As the platform 24 moves inwardly the rod 85 rotates the bell crank 86 in a clockwise manner, causing the platform 25 and grippers 21 to likewise move inwardly. The action of the platforms and grippers on each side of the plunger is thereby made synchronous and similar.

The lever 43 has its end pivotally connected to 9| is slidably mounted on the two vertical bars 3!, the bars being supported at their upper end by bracket 92 and at their lower end by bracket The inner sprocket wheel 94 mounted shaft 64 rotates, by means of chain 95 and sprocket wheel 96, the roller 91 which has mounted thereon the continuous belt 98. The belt is so arranged that cartons from the settingup mechanism thereabove fall upon the -belt and are carried away. I

In operation,rotation of the shaft 40 causes forward movement of the dog l4, whereby a carton is pushed beneath the friction roller i5. The friction roller I5 causes the carton to be moved outwar'dly in engagement with the cover opening rod l9. Continued movement of the shaft 40 causes the rod .I8 to be thrust forwardly wherebythe carton is advanced to its second position as shown by carton A of Fig. 2. The arm 16 is then retracted until the dog I8 engages the rear of the carton. The bar is then advanced and the carton, resting on the support 22, is thrust beneath the raised plunger 30. Rotation of the shaft 64 causes the platforms and grippers to cooperate in centering the carton, in gripping the cover portions thereof, and in stretching the horizontal walls of the carton outwardly to rotate the transverse partitions into planes substantially at right angles to the longitudinal partition. The lever 43 then causes the plunger 30 to be lowered into interlocking relation with the partitions of the carton. Before the plunger 30 reaches the plane of the outdrawn backwardly by the bar Hi. The plunger on the plunger to be returned to their original positions for operation upon the next carton.

The above described device is susceptible to modification and those changes which come within the spirit of my invention are intended to be included in the appended claims.

I claim: v

1. In a device for setting-up cartons of the type having a longitudinal partition provided with hinged cross partitions and side walls having slots to receive said partitions, feeding means for delivering said cartons one at a time, means for distending the walls of one of said cartons outwardly and for rotating the hinged cross partitions into alignment with the, openingsin the carton walls, and means for moving said slotted wall into engagement with said cross partitions.

2. In a device for setting-up cartons of the type having a longitudinal partition provided with hinged cross partitions and side walls having slots for receiving and interlocking with said cross partitions, a hopper for receiving a stack of collapsed cartons, a traveling dog for delivering a collapsed carton from said hopper, means for continuing the travel of said carton, a coverlifting rod having a point for entering between the collapsed walls of said carton, said rod extending across the path of travel of said carton, and havinga raised central portion, grippers for receiving thewalls of said carton, means for moving said grippers toward and away from each other, a plunger arranged above said grippers, said plunger being of substantially the same shape as the interior of an erected carton and having notches for receiving the longitudinal and cross partitions of said carton, and means for raising and lowering said plunger.

3. In a device for setting-up cartons of the type having a longitudinal partition provided with hinged cross partitions and side walls having slots for receiving and interlocking with said cross partitions, means for continuously feeding collapsed cartons one at a time, means for distending the walls of said carton and for positioning said cross partitions in alignment with the slots in said walls, and means for moving said wall into interlocking engagement with said cross partitions. n

4. In a device for setting-up collapsed cartons of the type described, comprising a hopper for receiving a stack of collapsed cartons, means for delivering cartons from said hopper, means for rotating one side of said collapsed carton into open position, and means for distending the walls of said carton and for rotating the same upwardly into engagement with the cross partitions of said carton. v

5. In a. device for setting-up cartons of the type having a longitudinal, partition provided with hinged cross partitions and side walls having slots for receiving and interlocking with said cross partitions, means for rotating the walls of v a collapsed carton into open position, grippers for engaging the walls of said carton, means for moving said grippers toward and away from each other, and a plunger arranged above said grippers, saidplunger being operable to depress said longitudinal partition.

6. In a device for setting-up egg cartons of the for raising and lowering said plunger and means I for releasing said grippers.

7. In a device for erecting cellular cartons of the type having walls and longitudinal partition sections provided with a plurality of separate cross partitions pivotally positioned at their central portions in slots in said longitudinal partition sections, erecting means including means for initially opening the walls of a collapsed carton; means for maintaining the separate cross. partitions in position substantially at right angles to said walls, and means for producing relative movement between said walls and said cross partitions whereby to produce an interlock between notches in' said walls and interlocking elements in the outer portions of said cross partitions.

8. In a device for erecting cellular cartons of the type havingya body portion folded on itself to form a double longitudinal partition and malls and a series of separate cross partitions pivotally positioned in slots in said longitudinal partition, setting-up mechanism including 'means for initially opening the walls of the body portion of the carton, means for spreading the portions of said double longitudinal partition apart, and means for producing relative'movement between the walls of the carton and the cross partitions whereby to produce an interlock between notches in said walls and interlocking portions on said cross partitions.

9. In a machine for erecting cellular cartons of the type having a body portion folded upon itself to form a double walled longitudinal partition and walls and separate cross partitions pivotally positioned in slots in said longitudinal partition, setting-up mechanism including means for feeding collapsed cartons, means for initially opening the walls of said carton, and means for producing relative motion between said walls and said cross partitions to produce an interlock between notches in said walls and interlocking portions on said cross partitions.

. 10. In a machine for erecting cellular cartons of the type having a body portion folded upon itself to form a double walled longitudinal partition and walls and separate cross partitions pivotally positioned in slots in said longitudinal partition, setting-up mechanism including means for feeding collapsed cartons, means for initially opening the walls of said carton, means for spreading apart the walls of said longitudinal partition, means for maintaining said cross partitions in position for interlock-with the walls of said carton, and means for producing relative motion between said carton walls and saidcross partitions to produce an interlock between notches in said walls and interlocking portions on said cross partitions.

11. In a machine for erecting cellular cartons of the type having a body portion folded upon itself to form a double walled longitudinal partition and walls and separate cross partitions pivotally positioned in slots in said longitudinal partition, setting-up mechanism including means for moving the walls of the carton outwardly, means for moving the longitudinal partition downwardly and means for simultaneously moving said walls inwardly to produce an interlock between said walls and the cross partitions of the carton.

12. In a machine for erecting cellular cartons of the type having a body portion folded upon itself to form a double walled longitudinal partition and walls and separate cross partitions pivotally positioned in slots in said longitudinal partition, setting-up mechanism including means for feeding a collapsed carton, means for initially opening the walls of said carton, means for maintaining the cross partitions of the carton in position for interlock with the carton walls, and means for moving the walls of the carton into erect position in interlocked relation with said cross partltions.

'13. In a machine for erecting cellular cartons of the type having a body portion folded upon itself to form a double walled longitudinal partition and walls and separate cross partitions pivotally positioned in slots in said longitudinal partition, setting-up mechanism including a hopper for a stack of collapsed cartons, a conveyor for feeding cartons from said hopper, means for initially opening the walls of said carton, and additional means for moving said initially opened walls into interlocked relation with respect to the cross partitions of said carton.

14. In a device of the type described, means for feeding a carton blank, an oblique guide bar in the path of travel of said blank for moving the walls thereof at least partially in position for receiving cross partitions, and means for inserting cross partitions into slots in said blank.

15. In a device of the type described, a hopper for a stack of carton blanks, means for feeding said cartons from said hopper, receiving means for positioning a blank for further operations, a presser head member operable upon a vertical post for bending said blank along intermediate score lines, finger members to bend said blank along marginal score lines, and assembling means including means for causing cross partitions to engage slots in said blank.

16. In a device for erecting cellular cartons of the type having a longitudinal partition provided with a series of separate cross partitions rotatably positioned in slots therein, slotted walls joined to said longitudinal partition for interlocking with notched edges of said cross partitions and cover forming sections joined to said walls, the combination of gripper elements for engaging the cover forming sections, means'for moving said grippers away from each other after engagement of the cover forming sections of a carton and then toward each other, and means for producing relative vertical motion between said partitions and said grippers when the latter move toward each other to produce an interlock between the slots in said walls and the notched edges of said cross movement of the latter to engage said slotted walls with said edge notched cross partitions.

18. In a device for erecting cellular cartons of the type having a. blank folded upon itself to form a doubled longitudinal partition, slotted walls and cover forming sections and separate cross partitions pivotally positioned with respect to said longitudinal partition and having-edge notches adaptel to interlock with said slotted walls, the combination of gripper means for engaging only the cover forming sections and for providing alternate outward and inward movement thereof in substantiallya horizontal plane, and means for producing relative vertical movement between said cover forming sections and said partitions during the inward movement of said sections to engage said slotted walls with said edge notched cross partitions.

19. In a device for erecting cellular cartons of the type having a blank folded upon itself to form a doubled longitudinal partition, slotted walls and cover forming sections and separate cross partitions pivotally positioned with respect to said longitudinal partition and having edge notches adapted to interlock with said slotted walls, the combination of spaced platforms positioned to receive the cover forming sections of an opened carton, grippers for engaging said sections against said platforms, means for initially moving said platforms away from each other and then-for moving said platforms toward each other, and means for producing relative vertical movement between said partitions and said platforms during the inward movement of the latter to engage said slotted walls with said edge notched cross partitions.

20. In adevice for erecting'cellular cartons of the type having a blank folded upon itself to form a doubled longitudinal partition, slotted walls and cover forming sections and separate cross partitions pivotally positioned withrespect to said longitudinal partition and having edge notches adapted to interlock with said slotted walls, the combination with means for engaging the cover forming sections of said carton, means for moving said engaging means outwardly from an initial position to. spread the lower portion of said longitudinal partition and then inwardly to a position closer together than said initial position, and means for depressing said partitions simultaneously with the inward movement of said grippers.

21. In a device for erecting cellular cartons of the type having a blank folded upon itself to form' a doubled longitudinal partition, slotted walls and cover forming sections and separate cross partitions pivotally positioned with respect to said longitudinal partition and having edge notches adapted to interlock with said slotted walls, the combination of means for engaging the outer portions of said blank, me s for moving said engaging means outwardl until said cross partitions are substantially at right anglcs to said longitudinal partition and thereafter for moving said engaging means inwardly, and means for depressing said partitions during the inward movement of said engaging means.

22. In a device for erecting cellular cartons of the type having a blank folded upon itself to form a doubled longitudinal partition, slotted walls and cover forming sections and separate cross partitions pivotally positioned with respect to said longitudinal partition and having edge notches adapted to interlock with said slotted walls, the combination of means for initially opening said blank, 9. central support for the opened blank, means on opposite sides of said support for engaging the cover forming sections of said carton, means for moving said engaging means initially outwardly and then inwardly, means for depressing said partitions during said inward movement, and means for moving said support to allow for said depression.

23. In a device. for erecting cellular cartons of the type having a blank folded upon itself to form a doubled longitudinal partition, slotted walls and cover forming sections and separate cross partitions pivotally positioned with respect to said longitudinal partition and having edge notches adapted to interlock with said slotted walls, the combination of. a hopper for folded cartons; means .for feeding said cartons from said hopper, means for initially producing relative rotation of the walls of the carton to open the same, means for transferring the opened carton to a position'for erection, means engaging the cover forming portions of the carton for moving the same outwardly in a divergent manner thereby to rotate said cross partitions into positions substantially at right angles to said longitudinal partition, said engaging means then being operable to move inwardly toward each other,

and means for depressing said partitions during the inward movement of said engaging means.

24. In a device for erecting cellular cartons of the type having a blank folded upon itself to form a doubled longitudinal partition, slotted walls and cover forming sections and separate cross partitions pivotally positioned with respect to said longitudinal partition and having edge notches adapted to interlock with said slotted walls, the combination of a central support for positioning an opened carton, means on opposite sides of said support and independent thereof for engaging said cover forming sections, means for moving said engaging means outwardly in a divergent manner and then inwardly in a convergent manner, means for moving said support away from said carton, and means for depressing the central portion of said carton during theinward movement of said engaging means.

25. In a device for erecting cellular cartons of the type having a blank folded upon itself to form a doubled longitudinal partition, slotted walls and cover forming sections and separate cross partitions pivotally positioned with respect to said longitudinal partition and having edge notches adapted to interlock with said slotted walls, the combination of engaging means operable upon outer partitions of an opened carton for pulling said walls apart in substantially a horizontal plane and then for moving said walls inwardly, and means for depressing the central partition of said carton during said inward movement.

,MAR'IIN BURGER. 

